Preparations for the very first "CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007" have been completed for the August 5th 2007 start.

The INDIAN AUTORICKSHAW CHALLENGE (IndianARC) is an autorickshaw rally to showcase the rich heritage, culture and customs of India to the whole world. The rally is also involved in promoting Education for the Children of India, Prevention of Child Abuse, in addition to International Road Safety and Adventure Tourism. These particulars are given below in detail. The Lead Organizer, Aravind B. Kumar is from Tamilnadu, India, and is now a permanent resident in Budapest, Hungary. In addition there are some Indian organizers who are helping in the effort. All autorickshaws are owned by IndianARC and supplied to the participants. IndianARC has a blanket insurance cover against all possible accidents and claims that may arise for the rally. Back up support in terms of medical evacuation, legal, repair of vehicles will be provided by IndianARC. It is not a competitive rally, nor a test of speed. It is a fun drive with charity as the main aim.

The first rally was conducted in August 2006 from Chennai to Kanyakumari. Participants included teams from Russia, Armenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Britain and the United States of America among other countries. The rally was a huge success.

The rally is not a test of speed. It is basically a pleasure drive. There are a couple of local and international media houses that are covering the event totally in terms of news coverage or documentaries. The participants are given “Challenges” on the route, which they have to complete. These “Challenges” could be anything from identifying and seeing a place of historic or tourist interest, to sampling local delicacies in small hotels! “Challenges” have been selected to make it interesting for the participants and also to let them have a first hand experience of the culture, history, cuisine and other aspects of the local life in particular and India in general.

There are 34 teams in the "CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007". Each team could be a minimum of 2 participants or a maximum of 3. Teams from the USA, Britain, Canada, Hungary, Croatia, Ireland etc. The organizers will be making a substantial donation for education of children and eradication of child labor from the proceeds of the rally. Every evening, at the night halts, the local Rotary Clubs will be hosting the entire rally group at a fellowship dinner. This will ensure good interaction between the participants and the leading residents of the town.

IndianARC aims to give the participants a fun drive and in the process offer an opportunity to see the diverse culture and customs of the states they drive through. They also ensure that participants have enough time to see the many historical and tourist destinations on the route and take in the local flavor of the food. They are also very particular that participants interact with the cream of society in the places the rally passes through, in order to promote friendship, fellowship and an exchange of culture and views. These participants they feel will become ambassadors to promote the richness of India when they return home.

"CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007"

From the unprecedented but expected response from around the world, the organizers are ready to run the next rally in August 2007. The rally named "CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007" is from Chennai to Mumbai, starting from Chennai on 5th August 2007 and ending in Mumbai on 17th August 2007. The route will be Chennai- Vellore- Bangalore- Hassan- Mangalore- Bhatkal- Karwar- Panaji- Malvan- Ratnagiri- Mahad- Alibagh- Mumbai. These towns will also be overnight stops on the rally.

ROTARY AND INDIANARC:

We are very happy to be associated with Rotary International through RI Districts 3130, 3140, 3170, 3180, 3190 and 3230. Rotary has been helpful to us in identifying 1 school each at 29 places on the rally route between Chennai and Mumbai. The organizers are making a mandatory charity donation of a standard package to all the schools thus identified. The participants are making a donation of charity collected in the form of money and materials to these schools. All donations will be made only through the local Rotary Clubs at each place.

Sunday 5th August 2007- Flag off from Chennai

The "CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007" will be flagged off at 9am on Sunday, 5th August 2007 from St. Georges Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School and Orphanage, Number 738 EVR Salai, (Poonamallee High Road, Opp. Pachayappa College), Chennai 600 030. The Chief Guest will be Mr. KVS Murthy, IPS, Additional Director General of Police.

Madras Motor Sports Club Race Track visit:

The rally will have the first stop at the MMSC Race Track at Irungattukottai. The participants will have the thrill of going round the track in their autorickshaws. They will then proceed to Vellore, the overnight stop.

The IndianARC administration certainly has their work cut out for them, as this the wildest, unpredictable, and unique road drive ever organized. The entrants to this amateur adventure will all be pushing their endurance to the limit by day as they cover 1921 km along India’s western and central regions, all in local Tuk-Tuks. The Autorickshaw, India’s three wheeled workhorse and general purpose runabout, will have hundreds of brave entrants piling into, making their own, and then pushing to the limits and beyond.

With the highly visible international profile of the already infamous Autorickshaw Classic Rally 2006, the prospects look good for both the organisers and sponsors and promises to be an unforgettable event for the participants. A very systematically done web site www.indianarc.com is worth a visit and gives a complete picture of the organization, its goals and details of the rally.

The "CEAT MUMBAI XPRESS AUTORICKSHAW RALLY 2007" is surely going to be a huge success and put IndianARC and India itself, in the big league of "Adventure Motor Sports" around the world.

For further details contact:

EJJI K. UMAMAHESH
Coordinator - India, IndianARC
Phone: + 91 99406 64770
E mail: ejji@airtelbroadband.in
Web site: www.indianarc.com

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